Washing machine with water-heating apparatus



Jun 0, 1941. o. HEMBREE WASHING MACHINE WITH WATER-HEATING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 18, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l A G. i/.7?

lllIII June 10, 1941. o HEMB WASHING MACHINE June 10, 1941. o. HEMBREE 2,245,476

WASHING MACHINE WITH WATER-HEATING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 18. 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 1 VENTOR, flaw/z 7?; 7 66-1,

Patented June 10, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WASHING MACHINE WITH WATER-HEAT- IN G APPARATUS Owen Hembree, Shawnee, Okla. Application January 18, 1939, Serial No. 251,617

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a washing machine and it aims to provide means or mechanism whereby the water or cleansing fluid used may be heated and maintained at preferred predetermined temperature within the tub, without interfering with operation of the machine and especially as concerns the agitating and wringing mechanism usually employed.

Another object is to provide such a means or mechanism as may be built as an attachment or addition to existing washing machines, as well as be built initially into such machines.

The invention dispenses with the inconvenient heating of water separately and independently of the washing machine, dispenses with the changing of the water or washing fluid necessitated by cooling, dispenses with the tempering of water or washing fluid by adding or removing water when cleansing different types of materials such as woolens and silks and the invention, generally, eliminates unnecessary handling of water and enables more economical and expeditious heating thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide for the heating of the water electrically and maintaining it at any one of several different temperatures, preferably within an auxiliary tub contained within the main or usual tub.

It is further an object to provide for the entire heating of the water or washing fluid while the materials are contained therein so that stains which are set by water at the boiling point will loosened and washed out at temperatures below that point.

Various additional objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the description following taken in connection with accompanying drawings illustrating one operative embodiment.

In said drawings:

Figure l is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section and broken away, showing a washing machine embodying my improvements;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken centrally through the apparatus of Figure 1, looking in the reverse direction, and being on a larger scale;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the plane of line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the upper part or connecting ring for the walls of the aux- :diary tub;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the inner wall of the auxiliary tub;

Figure 6 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of the heating element;

Figure '7 is a perspective view of the outer wall of the auxiliary tub;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the outer wall of the auxiliary tub, the same being in inverted position, and

Figure 9 is a view of the heating mechanism or electrical parts in diagram,

Referring specifically to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts throughout the different views, I3 represents the tub of any conventional washing machine. Such tub has a depending skirt I34: and is supported by legs l3b. A conventional removable cover 3| is provided for said tub l3.

Operating within the tub is an agitator 21 of conventional form, for instance, of the oscillating type. Said agitator 21, as at 24, is fastened to a vertical operating shaft 22 which is journaled within a central vertical bearing 25 detachably screwed or otherwise fastened at 25a in the base wall of the tub I3. Bearing means between said agitator 21, shaft 22 and bearing 25 are provided at 26. This agitating means and drive is conventional, being operated from exteriorly of the tub,

The machine is also preferably equipped with a wringer 28 of conventional form supported by a tubular standard 29 fastened as at 29a to the tub l3 and through which an operating shaft 30, for said wringer, passes. Obviously, the shafts 22 and 30 may be driven by any suitable means.

In carrying out the invention, an auxiliary tub generally designated A is removably disposed within the tub l3 and generally conforms to the shape thereof. This auxiliary tub may take various preferred forms, but as shown, it consists of spaced apart, cup-shaped outer and inner shells l5 and i1, respectively, engaged at their upper edges by a ring M which is preferably, welded or otherwise rigidly connected in a water-tight manner to said edges. Such auxiliary tub A is hollow and filled with a suitable heat insulating material, for instance, spun glass.

It will be noted that the bearing member 25 extends through the bottom wall of the auxiliary tub A and it is, preferably welded to the shells l5 and 51, although it may be separable, if desired. When the said bearing 25 is welded to said shells, the agitator 21 is removably con nected at 24 to shaft 22, being held on the latter by a screw or fastening 23.

Said auxiliary tub A has a water outlet or drain at is including a spacer bushing is between the shells l5 and it. This outlet l3 detachably registers with the conventional water drain pipe 23 leading from the bottom of tub l3 and which is normally closed by a screw plug 2 l Suitably disposed between the shells l5 and I7, with a portion of insulation 95 outwardly thereof, is a heating means generally designated 5. This element is preferably electrical and may take various forms, as preferred. As shown, it comprises inner and outer bands 35 and 34 of suitable insulation, preferably mica, the former contacting and being supported on the periphery of shell H. The heating means are heaters 35, 35a and 35b being resistance, preferably nichrome steel, the same being disposed and supported between the bands 34 and 35.

The electric current from any suitable source is supplied through feed wires 39 and 40 preferably connected to a plug of the type which is detachably applicable to a conventional outlet. A thermostatic control I comprising three thermostats 54, 59 and 64, set at different temperatures, is located in a depression 31 in the wall ll of the auxiliary tub and is supported by the electric fittings passing through an opening in that wall. Feed wire or conductor 39 leads to a heater 35 while feed wire or conductor 40 leads to a binding post 46 on which a conventional manually operable switch arm 41 is pivoted so as to be selectively engageable with contacts 48, 49 and 50 according to whether a low, medium or higher temperature is desired.- From contact 50, a conductor 5| leads which includes a switch arm 52 and heater 35. The current will be closed through heater 35 when switch arm 52 is closed since arm 52 is part of a normally open magnetic contactor switch operated by a coil 53 in a conductor 44 leading from conductor 5| to conductor 39 which includes a normally closed thermostatic switch 54 forming part of thermostatic control 'I on a base 4|, the switch being adapted to open automatically upon water in auxiliary tub A reaching a predetermined temperature, thus cutting oil the current through opening of switch 52 and automatically closing upon decrease in temperature of the water to a predetermined degree.

Closing of a circuit through a heater 35 and 35a imparts a lower temperature to the water in the tub than does the heater 35 alone while a still lower temperature will be imparted by closing the circuit through a heater 35b, 35a and 35. When heater 35a and 35 are energized, the current passes from conductor 40 through switch arm 41 which is engaged with contact 49 and thence through a conductor 55, including switch 55, the heater 35a and heater 35 and conductor 39. Switch 56 is part of a magnetic contactor switch operated by a coil 51 in a conductor '58 leading from contact 49 to the conductor 44 and including a normally closed thermostatic switch 59. Switch 59 is adapted to automatically open upon the water in the tub attaining the predetermined heat and its opening breaks the circuit through the magnetic contactor switch 56-51, such switch also closing automatically upon a predetermined decrease in temperature of the water.

The circuit is closed through the heaters 35b, 35a and 35 from conductor 41 by disposing switch arm 40 in engagement with contact 48. From the latter, a conductor 60 leads through the heater 35b, 35a and 35. .Conductor 50 includes a switch 5i, which is normally open like the switches 52 and 55. It is part of a magnetic aaeacre contactor switch operated by a coil 62 in a conductor 33 leading from conductor 50 to the conductor 54 and including a normally closed thermostatic switch 55 of the type employed at 54 and 59 which is adapted to automatically open upon the water in the auxiliary tub A attaining the predetermined heat and to thereafter automatically close upon the water reaching the predetermined lower temperature.

Attention is called to the fact that the various conductors and electrical parts are insulated where desired, and preferably covered with asbestos and that certain conductors are protected by passage through pipes or the like as at 9 and H, the former further being covered by a sheet l2. A main switch may be provided in the heating circuit in addition to the switch 4'8, as at 32.

As a result of the construction described, the switch arm 41 may be manually positioned according to the temperature selected for the water in the auxiliary tub A and that upon the predetermined temperature for which the switch is set being reached, the circuit will be opened through the automatic opening of switches 54, 59 and 64, forming thermostatic control 1 and the magnetic contactor switches 52, 56 and GI, respectively controlled thereby. Upon the water in the auxiliary tub A cooling below a certain point, the circuit will be automatically restored and remain energized until the predetermined temperature is again reached, and in this manner, the temperature 01' the water in the auxiliary tub will be automatically maintained substantially constant, that is within predetermined limits. It will be realized that the water or fluid within the tub will not have to be added to or taken from, to control its temperature and that all other objections heretofore mentioned to the use of a washing machine are overcome.

. Various changes maybe resorted to provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An attachment for disposition within the tub of a washing machine having an upstanding drive shaft for an agitator and having a drain outlet means; the attachment comprising a removable auxiliary tub, said auxiliary tub having spaced inner and outer walls, heating means mounted between said walls, a tubular bearing rising from the bottom of said auxiliary tub, said bearing having a lower portion extending through and adapted to be secured to the bottom of said machine tub in a watertight manner and adapted to journal said shaft.

2-. In combination with the tub of a washing machine having a drain outlet means and an interior agitator-driving shaft rising from the bottom thereof, an attachment comprising an auxiliary tub removably disposed within the first mentioned tub and resting on the bottom of the latter, said auxiliary tub having spaced inner and outer walls, heating means enclosed by said walls, said auxiliary tub having a tubular bearing open at the bottom andjournaled on said shaft, said bearing extending through and below said walls and being secured watertight to and rising from the said walls at the bottom of the auxiliary tub, and means on said bearing below the auxiliary tub extending through and being fastened to the bottom of the first mentioned tub in a water tight manner to prevent leakage between the tubs.

OWEN HEMBREE. 

